Urgent Help Needed - Kindly assist

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Urgent Help Needed - Kindly assist

Abdul Azeez
Real Estate Investor · Monroe Township, NJ · Member since 2016 · 468 posts · 85 votes

Hello folks - I purchased my house in Aug 2018 in NJ. It is a single family two story home with a basement. The house was constructed in 2000. It has a sloping backyard elevation coming to the back of the house. The previous owner had a partially finished basement. I recently started a basement finishing project. The contractors finished the demo over two days. When they completed the demo we found a few water marks on the basement wall at the front of the house and the back of the house and towards the floor. The contractors are recommending water proofing and therefore we have put the next steps of construction on hold.


I have talked to original owners in my neighborhood and none of them have had basement water issues. This house has also not had any issues.to my knowledge. However the evidence of some marks and the previous owner having used some kind of water blocking paint on some of the walls and the resultant efflorescence at particular spots concerns me.

I had a few waterproofing companies come in to assess the situation. All of them sell a system of interior French drains and all of them are recommending installing them and cost is between $8000-$12000. None of them want to deal with any prevention on the outside.

I posted my issues in the AVS forum (because I was discussion theater construction for my basement) and their opinion is that I do not have a severe water issue and that I need to take steps to stop the water coming towards the house. The recommended steps are:

1. Install downspout extensions (preferably under the ground to route water away)
2. Add soil and gravel with a slope grade going down leading water away from the house
3. Dig up a horizontal trench at the back of the house with tubes running under that will route any water away and to the side of the house. Preferably tie #1 and #3 together
4. Apply Drylok

I have already done #1 although it's overground. None of the basement waterproofing companies have suggested the above options. My concern is that if I do the above steps and I have issues after I finish my basement what do I do as it will be too late to break open the walls and install an French drain system. On the other hand is it an overkill to spend $8000-$12000 on something that making external improvements could curb? Also wrt point #4 above I have seen some negative reviews on the usage of drylok and seeing some of the flaking and efflorescence on the current walls, I am a bit doubtful about using it. Additionally even if I install a horizontal French drain outside, how will it stop any water from the deck?

Can anyone please help me in understanding what I should do? If you are in New Jersey it's even better. I appreciate your help. I have posted a video walkthrough and pics as well.

https://youtu.be/pcsk2cYZaDA

http://imgur.com/gallery/WwRW8NJ

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Bob H.
Rental Property Investor · Cedar Park, TX · Member since 2014 · 414 posts · 272 votes
7y

I like the french drain, too, and I don't see why it would need to be inside. I had a similar situation, with one major difference. This was a house in California, which like most there was built on a slab and had no basement. It had a hill in the back that sloped toward the house.

When we bought the house, the sellers disclosed drainage issues that had led to a lawsuit. They sued the owners who had sold to them for not disclosing the problems. When the people who sold to me lived there, they experienced wet floors in some rooms in the winter. There also was quite a bit of efflorescence on the garage floor and driveway, causing the surface to be crumbly. The diagnosis was that water seeping through clay from the next-door neighbor's house, uphill, and from that hill in the back would build up pressure in the winter and push through the concrete, making the floors wet.

The previous owners settled their lawsuit and built a french drain on the side of the house, where the hill was closest. We hired an engineer who recommended extending the drain around the back of the house, and we took that advice. We hired a company to come in with equipment to tear out the back patio and sidewalk, which were pretty ugly anyway. That company dug a trench for the drain to go out to the street. I built the drain, with the perforated pipe at the bottom and a solid pipe for downspout water higher up. Then I rented a Bobcat to regrade the back yard and added a short retaining wall at the base of the hill. Then came a new sprinkler system, a deck just off the ground, etc.

It was a big deal, but it worked! In the 17 years of owning the house, we never had any problem with wet floors or other drainage issues. So I'm a big believer in french drains.

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  • Greg ScottPro Member
    Rental Property Investor · SE Michigan · Member since 2014 · 4k+ posts · 6k+ votes
    7y

    Water in basements is always an issue.

    In my experience #2 (grading) is often very important, so you may want to check that.  It doesn't need to be extreme but you definitely want the ground to slope away from the house.

    Having finished my own basement, one of the things you can do is design it to withstand small amounts of water seepage.  You will be far better off if you assume water will get in and design the basement finish-out to handle it.

    There are plastic panels you can buy that you can glue to the walls that will funnel water down the wall instead of having it seep into your insulation.  Personally, I just hung plastic sheeting up to do the same thing, putting it on the wall side of my framing.  (I also have it on the inside of the framing for a vapor barrier.)

    On the flooring, some people use the plastic padding, but I've been in too many musty basements.  Home Depot sells interlocking 2x2 panels you can use to create a sub-floor with a small air gap underneath to let water flow.  We chose plastic interlocking panels that look like tile that do basically the same thing.

    Good luck.

    2Reply
  • Joe P.
    Philadelphia, PA · Member since 2017 · 824 posts · 1k+ votes
    7y

    I don't think I've ever lived in a house with a basement that didn't have water problems. My childhood home had 3 inches of water after a hurricane, and then some minor issues with above-ground cracks and seepage. My current home occasionally will have a bit of a musty smell and I assume there are some cracks. My investment property has an issue at times too.

    I think Greg is 100% correct, build out and prepare for the problem versus trying to prevent it. "Basement waterproofing" typically is something you can do as a basement preventative item, but it is costly, depending on the amount of square footage needed. Big basement = big cost. If you know its only one side of the house, great, take care of that. But if I'm a basement waterproofer and you're going to finish that basement, I'm going to sell you on a full perimeter french drain because I know I won't have to hear you complain in 10 years when another side starts getting water, or something. Plus I want the big job and big money. :)

    If its your home (not an investment property) and you want to finish it, and not have to worry about it, short of rebuilding the foundation the french drain seems like a good idea. You can drylok paint and/or hydraulic cement over any cracks or holes, and that will work. For now. The earth will spin and the ground will move -- it's a 10 cent fix for a 2 dollar problem. It will only work until it doesn't. Then you'll have to prepare for the inevitable when we get hit with another hurricane or massive floods, and you'll have to fix the problem.

    Grading is an issue too, I don't know much about it but sloping away from the home ostensibly will help diminish the chances water gets into your basement.

    Good luck!

    2Reply
  • Bob H.
    Rental Property Investor · Cedar Park, TX · Member since 2014 · 414 posts · 272 votes
    7y

    I like the french drain, too, and I don't see why it would need to be inside. I had a similar situation, with one major difference. This was a house in California, which like most there was built on a slab and had no basement. It had a hill in the back that sloped toward the house.

    When we bought the house, the sellers disclosed drainage issues that had led to a lawsuit. They sued the owners who had sold to them for not disclosing the problems. When the people who sold to me lived there, they experienced wet floors in some rooms in the winter. There also was quite a bit of efflorescence on the garage floor and driveway, causing the surface to be crumbly. The diagnosis was that water seeping through clay from the next-door neighbor's house, uphill, and from that hill in the back would build up pressure in the winter and push through the concrete, making the floors wet.

    The previous owners settled their lawsuit and built a french drain on the side of the house, where the hill was closest. We hired an engineer who recommended extending the drain around the back of the house, and we took that advice. We hired a company to come in with equipment to tear out the back patio and sidewalk, which were pretty ugly anyway. That company dug a trench for the drain to go out to the street. I built the drain, with the perforated pipe at the bottom and a solid pipe for downspout water higher up. Then I rented a Bobcat to regrade the back yard and added a short retaining wall at the base of the hill. Then came a new sprinkler system, a deck just off the ground, etc.

    It was a big deal, but it worked! In the 17 years of owning the house, we never had any problem with wet floors or other drainage issues. So I'm a big believer in french drains.

    3Reply
  • Scott P.
    Rental Property Investor · Indiana...mostly · Member since 2019 · 468 posts · 245 votes
    7y

    I'm sorry to hear you're having these issues.  I would not finish this basement.  I suspect those block walls will give you water trouble for a long time.

    If you decided to go to the effort, I would do items 1-3.  I suspect you need an earthen swale (which is sort of like a small dam) to intercept that water coming off the hill and direct it around the house.  Also, I would dig up all around the outside and have the blocks cleans and coated with something like Rub-r-Wall. After that a thin layer of insulation on the walls.  Then I'd install a drain tile/perforated pipe all around the bottom of the exterior of the wall.  I'd cover it with a filter fabric.  I'd pipe it to a dry well with a sump pump.  I'd back full gravel, larger than pea gravel, a little more than half way up the height of the wall.  The put in the backfill dirt.

    You've got to get the bulk water away from the house.  But even if you do, there will still be ground water to contend with.  

    I assume there is a sump pump with a backup inside the basement?  It needs a discharge line long enough to get at least 6 feet away from the house.  If there no drain piping under the interior of the basement floor along the walls then you'll need that interior french drain. 

    I'd also run at least one dehumidifier 24/7 inside the basement.

    I'd probably not do the Drylok on the inside walls. 

    1Reply
  • Abdul Azeez
    OP
    Real Estate Investor · Monroe Township, NJ · Member since 2016 · 468 posts · 85 votes
    7y

    I am leaning towards a shale at the back of the house directing water to the side of the house, grading of the walls touching the foundation, connecting the extension spouts together and move them underground to come out to an opening around 15 feet from the house and interior French drains for the front wall and back wall. Is this good?

    0Reply
  • John Barrows
    Real Estate Broker · Auburn, WA · Member since 2015 · 151 posts · 106 votes
    7y

    @Abdul Flex seal works excellent! You can also dig down around foundation put in a perforated 3” pipe on the bottom fill over with a “light layer” of crushed stone. Above that put another perorated 3” black pipe and then run the drain to front of home(each corner). Have extra pipe to run into a 55 gallon drum buried off each corner. Allow water to run around house into buried drums.

    By doing this, it allows water the release into the front slowly rather then creating a dam effect of water run off...

    It’s cheap, will get the job done and you can hire a few high school kids to do the job while you supervise the project!! At most $1000!!!

    0Reply
  • Theresa HarrisPro Member
    Member since 2019 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
    7y

    Adding the downspout extensions will help.  While the back yard is sloped, from the photos it doesn't look like a steep slope and it stops short of the house meaning there is space for some of the water to be absorbed before it hits the house.  

    What is the soil like in the flat area behind the house? Is it clay with poor drainage or sand/gravel?

    I think the options you've provided are good.  I wouldn't tie the weeping tile to the downspouts.  During a good rain, the volume of water from the downspouts will overwhelm the system.  If you install weeping tile, don't put it right next to the house, put if a foot of so away to 'catch' the water before it gets too close to the house.

    Adding a small retaining wall, even a foot tall, at the bottom of the hill will also help divert the water away.

    0Reply
  • Abdul Azeez
    OP
    Real Estate Investor · Monroe Township, NJ · Member since 2016 · 468 posts · 85 votes
    7y
    Originally posted by @John Barrows:

    @Abdul Flex seal works excellent! You can also dig down around foundation put in a perforated 3” pipe on the bottom fill over with a “light layer” of crushed stone. Above that put another perorated 3” black pipe and then run the drain to front of home(each corner). Have extra pipe to run into a 55 gallon drum buried off each corner. Allow water to run around house into buried drums.

    By doing this, it allows water the release into the front slowly rather then creating a dam effect of water run off...

    It’s cheap, will get the job done and you can hire a few high school kids to do the job while you supervise the project!! At most $1000!!!

     John - I am surprised. Digging around the foundation to excavate the earth and do it is one of the most expensive repairs isn't it?

    0Reply
  • Abdul Azeez
    OP
    Real Estate Investor · Monroe Township, NJ · Member since 2016 · 468 posts · 85 votes
    7y
    Originally posted by @Theresa Harris:

    Adding the downspout extensions will help.  While the back yard is sloped, from the photos it doesn't look like a steep slope and it stops short of the house meaning there is space for some of the water to be absorbed before it hits the house.  

    What is the soil like in the flat area behind the house? Is it clay with poor drainage or sand/gravel?

    I think the options you've provided are good.  I wouldn't tie the weeping tile to the downspouts.  During a good rain, the volume of water from the downspouts will overwhelm the system.  If you install weeping tile, don't put it right next to the house, put if a foot of so away to 'catch' the water before it gets too close to the house.

    Adding a small retaining wall, even a foot tall, at the bottom of the hill will also help divert the water away.

     Thanks. Can you clarify which weeping tile you are referring to?

    0Reply
  • Abdul Azeez
    OP
    Real Estate Investor · Monroe Township, NJ · Member since 2016 · 468 posts · 85 votes
    7y
    Originally posted by @Theresa Harris:

    Adding the downspout extensions will help.  While the back yard is sloped, from the photos it doesn't look like a steep slope and it stops short of the house meaning there is space for some of the water to be absorbed before it hits the house.  

    What is the soil like in the flat area behind the house? Is it clay with poor drainage or sand/gravel?

    I think the options you've provided are good.  I wouldn't tie the weeping tile to the downspouts.  During a good rain, the volume of water from the downspouts will overwhelm the system.  If you install weeping tile, don't put it right next to the house, put if a foot of so away to 'catch' the water before it gets too close to the house.

    Adding a small retaining wall, even a foot tall, at the bottom of the hill will also help divert the water away.

     Also for the soil in the area that declines towards the house, I find it mushy during a rain.

    0Reply
  • Abdul Azeez
    OP
    Real Estate Investor · Monroe Township, NJ · Member since 2016 · 468 posts · 85 votes
    7y

    I am being told by the basement waterproofing companies that installing a pipe that runs for the width of the backyard at the bottom of the hill is not going to be that helpful because say for example if I dig it down to 6 inches, the water behind it could still go under ground below 6 inches and bypass the pipe to hit the basement. Additionally installing the above pipe will not prevent water from dropping down through the deck. So based on this I am thinking of the following approach. Please tell me if this makes sense.

    1. Adding downspout extensions (currently over ground but underground can be explored)

    2. Grading the soil around the house on the front and two sides to take water away from the house

    3. Installing French drains internally for the front and back of the house. Adding two window wells to the windows under the deck at the back of the house.

    #3 above will reduce the cost of the internal drains by half to less than $5k and also add reinforcement to the two most important areas where despite any external protection there is a chance for water to come in. I could also avoid doing the shale or pipe at the back if I do this.

    Thoughts please?

    0Reply
  • Anthony Rosa
    Rental Property Investor · New York City · Member since 2019 · 703 posts · 538 votes
    7y

    Basement water infiltration is an issue however, just because you have efflorescence stains on the wall (usually bottom of wall where it meets the foundation floor) it doesn't mean water infiltrates.  Water may run down the exterior of the house and penetrate some of the block or concrete wall but never make it to the inside. The efflorescence chalky stain is the moisture between the exterior wet wall and interior temperature difference. 

    I never recommend drylok on the inside Foundation walls because interior concrete/block walls need to breathe. The whole idea is for the exterior waterproofing to do its job. If water doesn't penetrate to the inside you're golden.

    Does the basement feel damp, has musty odor?

    1Reply
  • Theresa HarrisPro Member
    Member since 2019 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
    7y
    Originally posted by @Abdul Azeez:
    Originally posted by @Theresa Harris:

    Adding the downspout extensions will help.  While the back yard is sloped, from the photos it doesn't look like a steep slope and it stops short of the house meaning there is space for some of the water to be absorbed before it hits the house.  

    What is the soil like in the flat area behind the house? Is it clay with poor drainage or sand/gravel?

    I think the options you've provided are good.  I wouldn't tie the weeping tile to the downspouts.  During a good rain, the volume of water from the downspouts will overwhelm the system.  If you install weeping tile, don't put it right next to the house, put if a foot of so away to 'catch' the water before it gets too close to the house.

    Adding a small retaining wall, even a foot tall, at the bottom of the hill will also help divert the water away.

     Thanks. Can you clarify which weeping tile you are referring to?

    What I've seen are a large, flexible pipe (like your downspout extenders, but thicker) with holes in it.  The pipe comes in a 'sock' (a fabric covering that allows the water to get through, but not the dirt.  This is placed underground in a trench (hole side up) that has been lined with gravel.  It is then covered in a bit of gravel itself to increase drainage.  The pipe carries any water away from the house.

    0Reply
  • Theresa HarrisPro Member
    Member since 2019 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
    7y

     If the soil is mushy, it means it is holding water.  

    0Reply
  • Judy Parker
    Rental Property Investor · Closter, NJ · Member since 2015 · 884 posts · 722 votes
    7y

    Your proposed recommendations #1, #2 and #3 are correct and should be done with any house.

    IMHO no basement should ever be "finished." Basements are prone to water penetration and leaks, from either external sources (rainwater, gutters and leaders,  grading, underground water table) and internal (burst plumbing pipes, water heaters leaking, washing machines leaking). And water causes mold. 

    Storing valuables (like paperwork, books, photos) in a basement, or turning a moldy basement into finished living space, is not a good idea in my opinion. You will definitely have water problems at some point and your furnishings and valuables will be destroyed.

    1Reply
  • Billy Smith
    Shawnee Mission, KS · Member since 2016 · 716 posts · 313 votes
    7y

    Always stop or try to stop the water on the outside. French drains, cut back trees, clean and extend gutter discharge 5’, increase the size of gutters, haul in dirt around the foundation grading it away from the house.

    1Reply
  • Abdul Azeez
    OP
    Real Estate Investor · Monroe Township, NJ · Member since 2016 · 468 posts · 85 votes
    7y
    Originally posted by @Theresa Harris:

     If the soil is mushy, it means it is holding water.  

    How do I release it?

    0Reply
  • Abdul Azeez
    OP
    Real Estate Investor · Monroe Township, NJ · Member since 2016 · 468 posts · 85 votes
    7y
    Originally posted by @Anthony Rosa:

    Basement water infiltration is an issue however, just because you have efflorescence stains on the wall (usually bottom of wall where it meets the foundation floor) it doesn't mean water infiltrates.  Water may run down the exterior of the house and penetrate some of the block or concrete wall but never make it to the inside. The efflorescence chalky stain is the moisture between the exterior wet wall and interior temperature difference. 

    I never recommend drylok on the inside Foundation walls because interior concrete/block walls need to breathe. The whole idea is for the exterior waterproofing to do its job. If water doesn't penetrate to the inside you're golden.

    Does the basement feel damp, has musty odor?

    No I don't feel the basement to feel musty or damp.

    0Reply
  • Theresa HarrisPro Member
    Member since 2019 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
    7y

    If it is the hillside, that is fine.  If it is right next to the house, remove that soil and replace it with something else.  You can do a layer of gravel with top soil above it and at the same time put in weeping tile and seal the exposed part of the basement wall (the foot or so you are digging down) and add a membrane.  Remember you don't want the water being retained by the soil on the hillside coming out of that soil and then sitting right next to your house.

    0Reply
  • Dennis M.
    Rental Property Investor · Erie, PA · Member since 2018 · 6k+ posts · 9k+ votes
    7y

    Not that big of a deal , do the work yourself and save

    1Reply
  • Judy Parker
    Rental Property Investor · Closter, NJ · Member since 2015 · 884 posts · 722 votes
    7y

    Your proposed recommendations #1, #2 and #3 are correct and should be done with any house.

    IMHO no basement should ever be "finished." Basements are prone to water penetration and leaks, from either external sources (rainwater, gutters and leaders, grading, underground water table) and internal (burst plumbing pipes, water heaters leaking, washing machines leaking). And water causes mold. 

    Storing valuables (like paperwork, books, photos) in a basement, or turning a moldy basement into finished living space, is not a good idea in my opinion. You will definitely have water problems at some point and your furnishings and valuables will be destroyed.

    0Reply
  • Abdul Azeez
    OP
    Real Estate Investor · Monroe Township, NJ · Member since 2016 · 468 posts · 85 votes
    7y
    Originally posted by @Greg Scott:

    Water in basements is always an issue.

    In my experience #2 (grading) is often very important, so you may want to check that.  It doesn't need to be extreme but you definitely want the ground to slope away from the house.

    Having finished my own basement, one of the things you can do is design it to withstand small amounts of water seepage.  You will be far better off if you assume water will get in and design the basement finish-out to handle it.

    There are plastic panels you can buy that you can glue to the walls that will funnel water down the wall instead of having it seep into your insulation.  Personally, I just hung plastic sheeting up to do the same thing, putting it on the wall side of my framing.  (I also have it on the inside of the framing for a vapor barrier.)

    On the flooring, some people use the plastic padding, but I've been in too many musty basements.  Home Depot sells interlocking 2x2 panels you can use to create a sub-floor with a small air gap underneath to let water flow.  We chose plastic interlocking panels that look like tile that do basically the same thing.

    Good luck.

    I am assuming you mean hanging plastic sheets to the wall. If the water leaks and this gets to the plastic and your basement walls are closed, wouldn't this lead to a mold issue?

    0Reply
  • Abdul Azeez
    OP
    Real Estate Investor · Monroe Township, NJ · Member since 2016 · 468 posts · 85 votes
    7y
    Originally posted by @John Barrows:

    @Abdul Flex seal works excellent! You can also dig down around foundation put in a perforated 3” pipe on the bottom fill over with a “light layer” of crushed stone. Above that put another perorated 3” black pipe and then run the drain to front of home(each corner). Have extra pipe to run into a 55 gallon drum buried off each corner. Allow water to run around house into buried drums.

    By doing this, it allows water the release into the front slowly rather then creating a dam effect of water run off...

    It’s cheap, will get the job done and you can hire a few high school kids to do the job while you supervise the project!! At most $1000!!!

    Hello - I need a little bit more information on this. What is the reason for the two pipes one on top of another? What is the extra pipe to the 55 gallon drum and where does drum need to be located? Also, when digging around foundation, don't you need to go really deep to the footing of the house?

    0Reply
  • Joe SplitrockPro Member
    Moderator
    Rental Property Investor · Sioux Falls, SD · Member since 2015 · 9k+ posts · 18k+ votes
    7y

    @Abdul Azeez I have considerable experience with water issues. I have multiple houses where I have had and corrected issues.

    Clearly you have a water problem, but that doesn't mean you have had wet carpet. The water could have leached in and just kept the walls wet, so it may have gone un-noticed.

    First thing to keep in mind is the basement companies that quoted you for the french drain make money selling them. If you solve the problem another way, they don't make money, therefore no reason for them to advocate other solutions. An interior french drain will work and it will solve the problem. You can install a french drain in a finished basement. You need to pull the carpet and trim. 

    That being said, assuming you don't get water on the floor, it is probably unnecessary to go to the extreme of installing an interior french drain.

    1. The first and most important thing is contouring the slope away from the house. Have the ground built up at the foundation several inches, then grade out. It is also important to lay down heavy landscaping plastic and rock going out 3-4 feet. Most water issues are the result of water running directly down the foundation wall. The plastic and rock is critical because it forces the water out several feet away from the foundation. This step alone fixes most every problem.

    2. Down spouts are critical. Make sure the down spout extends past the rock, so it must go out 4-5 feet. The extensions are helpful but they have a tendency to come off in heavy rains. I like to have a solid 5 foot down spout with a cement water channel at the end. 

    3. Watch what happens to your gutters in heavy rain. One common issue is gutters getting overwhelmed and water runs over them and down the foundation. One way to prevent this is increase the size of your down spouts to increase water flow.

    4. Install window well covers. Window wells are just rain catchers.

    The deck is a major area of concern. I have had two situations where water came in under a deck that was on the ground like yours. In both cases the ground under the deck had a pocket by the foundation where water collected. The deck made it worse. I had to remove boards from the deck to add dirt, plastic and rock. 

    Personally, I don't even like decks that sit on the ground. I would rather build the ground up higher and have a poured cement patio. In your case, you can see the back yard slopes towards the back of the house. I can't see your entire back of the house, but it appears to me, you could build it up 8-10 inches at the foundation and have it slope back. I would rip out the deck and patio and build it up, then pour a nice stamped concrete patio. with good slope. The rain will run right off the patio and it will force the water 10+ feet away from your foundation. I know this could be costly, but right now your house is at the bottom of a hill, which is not good.

    0Reply
  • Abdul Azeez
    OP
    Real Estate Investor · Monroe Township, NJ · Member since 2016 · 468 posts · 85 votes
    7y

    1. The first and most important thing is contouring the slope away from the house. Have the ground built up at the foundation several inches, then grade out. It is also important to lay down heavy landscaping plastic and rock going out 3-4 feet. Most water issues are the result of water running directly down the foundation wall. The plastic and rock is critical because it forces the water out several feet away from the foundation. This step alone fixes most every problem.

    Is this as simple as just laying down soil near the foundation walls and grading it to slope towards the yard? I am a bit unclear about the heavy landscaping plastic and rock you have mentioned. Can you clarify?

    2. Down spouts are critical. Make sure the down spout extends past the rock, so it must go out 4-5 feet. The extensions are helpful but they have a tendency to come off in heavy rains. I like to have a solid 5 foot down spout with a cement water channel at the end.

    There are downspouts in metal coming down from the gutter. What I have done is purchased 10 feet drain extension corrugated solid pipes of 4 inch diameter from Home Depot that I have attached to the bottom of the gutters to steer water away from the front and sides. If they have a tendency to come off, I can screw them to the end of the metal downspout. Is this sufficient or are you contemplating something different?

    3. Watch what happens to your gutters in heavy rain. One common issue is gutters getting overwhelmed and water runs over them and down the foundation. One way to prevent this is increase the size of your down spouts to increase water flow.

    Same as above. Can you clarify?

    4. Install window well covers. Window wells are just rain catchers.

    Ok. I will try to find some on Home depot

    The deck is a major area of concern. I have had two situations where water came in under a deck that was on the ground like yours. In both cases the ground under the deck had a pocket by the foundation where water collected. The deck made it worse. I had to remove boards from the deck to add dirt, plastic and rock.

    Personally, I don't even like decks that sit on the ground. I would rather build the ground up higher and have a poured cement patio. In your case, you can see the back yard slopes towards the back of the house. I can't see your entire back of the house, but it appears to me, you could build it up 8-10 inches at the foundation and have it slope back. I would rip out the deck and patio and build it up, then pour a nice stamped concrete patio. with good slope. The rain will run right off the patio and it will force the water 10+ feet away from your foundation. I know this could be costly, but right now your house is at the bottom of a hill, which is not good.

    Ripping out the deck is a major endeavor and would most likely be more expensive than installing a complete internal french drain system. In addition to the steps I mentioned above, can I install internal french drains for the front of the house and back of the house (due to the aforementioned deck on top)? This way I can cut down the cost of french drain installation by 50% as now they would need to do only about 80 feet instead of 160 feet. The sides don't seem to have water and I only see minor efflorescence. My hope is that if I grade the sides, it should be sufficient. What are your thoughts?

    If I do all the above, do I still need a shale before the water hits the deck? The shale would introduce an inconsistency / separation in the backyard, isn't it?

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